I'm starting a rat truck build with a 46 chevy body, z'd 2x4 frame and 9" rear, gonna take a 4 bolt 350 short block, put the aluminum ZZ heads (vortec's just aluminum if i am thinking right ) lopey cam, hoping to get around 350 horse... and am worried a T-5 wont hold up if I ever get on it very hard, so i was thinking of getting a T-56 or richmond, but they are big money, so the t-56 is the front runner right now, but as far as I know it wont fit a standard SBC. Do I have to run a LT1 block to do this or is there simply a bell to run that tranny?? Plz help so I can get started ordering
You'll want to use an aftermarket T56 or one out of an LT1 car, not a LS1 equipped car.....LS1 is possible but not easy. Mcleod sells an adapter bellhousing for the swap. Do a Google search and hit up some of the third gen Camaro sites for more info. -Bigchief.
Not cheap but Mcleod has you covered. Yes, the LT1 bellhousing and trans will work on the early SBC. Do some research out on the Net. Call Mcleod, etc, etc.
found it, thanks guys, already found a complete tranny clutch, plate flywheel setup for a cool grand too, not too bad for a nights work, also a richmond for $750, decisions decisions
I am running a T-56 behind my regular old small block. I am using a OEM GM bellhousing fro the late 60's, a McLeod adapter plate, and an extended pilot bushing. The Mcleod adapter plate has a T-5 bearing support on it, so all T-5 stuff works inside the bell, like the Howe hydraulic throwout bearing, and the plain vanilla (cheap) 10.5" clutch assembly. The transmission had a LT1 input shaft when I got it. I switched it to a LS1 input which is about 1.25" 'ish longer. Not super easy, but do-able. PM me if you have questions. Whatever is cheapest and most complete is best, as both transmissions are just fine for this application. One caveat, the T-56 is freakin' huge, if the Richmond is substantially smaller, I'd get that. You will need someplace to put your pedals, and feet. It is really snug in my A.
I have a t-56 behind my old sbc. you need a 93-97 lt1 t-56. Will bolt right up to block. Use all of the stock transmission parts. Original bellhousing, clutch and all hydraulics. Centerforce makes a conversion flywheel. Flywheel is not cheap. I think you can order it from Jeg's or Summit. I love the set up. I have an old 350 with a tri power, a decent cam, 96 t-56 trans and a 9" ford with 4:11 gears in my 30 model a coupe. Works great, even with the 4:11 gear, I rarely use 6th gear. I am thinking about stepping up the gear to a 4:56 this winter.
Whats wrong with the T-5? I have a T-5 in my '83 Mercury Capri, and that puppy's blown and dynos 416HP at the wheels! I've never had a problem with that tranny, I just changed the clutch for the first time last summer since the car's been new! Your over analizing your "350HP" SBC!!! C'MON!!! FOCUS!!!
Oh yeah, that. The T-5 is more than fine, cheaper too, and easier to get. The only reason I could afford the T-56 is that I do Aluminum repair for a local auto dismantler, and sometime take payment in parts. This is how I get most of my late-model parts. If this were not the case, I'd be running a T-5, and probably not eating right now. Oh, and on the topic of rear end ratios, most of the LT1 T-56's have a .50:1 6th gear. That means that whatever rear ratio you are running is 1/2 what it would be with an old-school 3 speed with a 1:1 3rd. A 4.11:1 is like a 2.56:1. I am running a 6:50:1 rear gear, and 31" tall rear tires.
T-5 discussions are always the same,some say they last with 400 hp,others say they shred with 300 hp.I do know a lot of T-5's have been blown in 302 Mustangs and the 80's Camaros.
Great info! I have a 468 BBC topped with an 8-71 blower in my OT Z-28 and put a T5 behind it "until I found a Richmond". Well, 2 years and many miles later the old T5 is still hangin' in. I'm VERY surprised cause trust me... I give it trouble!
LOL!!!! Gotta love an honest man with a heavy right foot. Which T5 do you have? (Camaro / Firebird, S10, Mustang, year?)
check out d&d performance they have a t-56 that bolts in place of a old 4-speed. Im running one. Get it you wont be dissapointed.
From personnal experience??? cause I've owned 2 stock 5.0 Mustangs, and 1 5.0 Mercury Capri, they were all 5 speed T-5's, and NO issues...Maybe what you've HEARD is ppl that don't know how to shift...or use a clutch!
What is the reason for an adapter to put a T5 that was behind a 4.3 Chevy? I have one and assumed it would be a straight bolt on, but I have assumed wrong before.
I have a Mustang T5 that got a double shot of nos that I got cheap and it has lots of broke stuff inside but I at least I got a WC build kit and a B&M shifter with the deal. I wouldn't be afraid to use one without the giggle gas, I would rather break a T5 than my cast iron cased T10.
The life expectancy of any T5 is directly proportional to the traction coefficient of the tires installed, divided by the 1st gear ratio, multiplied by the square root of the launch rpm plus the IQ of the driver, with atmospheric modifiers for mileage, power adders, vehicle weight and the amount of harrassment to be received upon losing to a Honda Civic.
Hey another question for you t56/sbc guys...I am debating whether to run 4.11s or 4.56s i still want first gear to be usable and im afraid that if i go with the 4.56s it wont be. Runnin 283/t56 out of lt1 with around 28" rear tires. Thanks
I don't recall what 1st gear ratio is, 3.00 maybe?, but I would hesitate to even go 4.11 with a T56. It wasn't meant to race in any fashion with 6th. It was a super-cruise gear for milage. It will run 70 near idle speed if you have the torque.
It is a trade-off. Top v.s bottom. I prefer to make sure I am at the efficiency peak of my engine at freeway speed, in top gear, but that is just me. It means early shifting, but 26+ mpg out of a stock 305 is what I get for it. First in most of them is 2.66:1, except on the 1993 only models, where it is 2.97:1. There is allegedly a 1993 version with a 3.36:1 1st gear, but I have never seen one in the wild. 1993 models will have a 0.62:1 6th, instead of 0.50:1 With a 2.66:1 and a 4.56 rear, if you shift at 3000 rpm, you will be at 20 mph. With a 2.66:1 and a 4.56 rear, if you shift at 5000 rpm, you will be at 34 mph. With a 0.50:1 and a 4.56 rear, if you cruise at 65 mph, you will be at 1779 rpm. (*Corrected*) With a 2.66:1 and a 4.11 rear, if you shift at 3000 rpm, you will be at 22 mph. With a 2.66:1 and a 4.11 rear, if you shift at 5000 rpm, you will be at 37 mph. With a 0.50:1 and a 4.11 rear, if you cruise at 65 mph, you will be at 1604 rpm. (*Corrected*) The 1993-1997 LT1 version is a bolt on, if you use the whole (expensive) unique clutch assembly, weird flywheel and bell, or an adapter and an LS1 input shaft extended pilot, with an old school bell (and cheap clutch). The 1998+ LS1 bell has different bell, but you can use an adapter and extended pilot with an old school bell. GTO and Viper models are out of my scope. There is a "retrofit" T56 out there too. It comes with the above mentioned adapter, and an extended input shaft that eliminates the need for the extended pilot bushing. I am running a 1994 T56 with a 2.66:1 1st, and a 0.50:1 6th. With a 2.66:1, when I shift at 3000 rpm, I am at 16 mph. With a 2.66:1, when I shift at 5000 rpm, I am at 26 mph. With a 0.50:1, I cruise at 65 mph, which 2300 rpm. I am running a 31" tire, and a 6.50:1 rear gear. To get the same revs with a 28" tire, that would be a 5.38:1 rear ratio.
Oh yeah, and the LT1 was a 1-piece rear main seal block and has a different flywheel mounting pattern (and a balance weight) than an old-school 283, so a special flywheel is in the works for the stock LT1 clutch setup.
I was thinking something along those lines. If the final built truck is light weight and doesn't have huge sticky tires on the back, you should be able to break them loose before the trans breaks, unless you intend on doing a big smoky burnout every single time you start out from a stop. Which the cops would frown upon sooner or later. That would make say a world-class T5 good enough to run. and if they're not good enough, step up to a trans out of a Chevy 1-ton pickup, a 3 speed or maybe the 5-speed they used, would be less expensive I would think and do the same job. It sounds like you're not planning for a land speed record and I'm sure fuel milage is not in the equation, so I don't know why you even need an OD gear, really.
Thanks for the input but im a little confused. You said that with a 4.11 at 65 mph you would be at 1779 and a 4.56 at 65 mph you would be at 1604 rpm. That doesn't make any sense to me? Also I am going to be running a pretty decent cam and I don't want it still tryin to hit while im going down the road. From what I've been told I should run the stock clutch, pressure plate, and bellhousing and need a flywheel that will mate the 1st gen sbc to the t56. Also this might be a dumb question but do I just use a stock 283 starter? Thanks guys!
Ooops, sorry man. Switch those two rpm numbers. I screwed it up copying it from the spreadsheet to the post. Some days, I have the dumb. I will correct it in the post for posterity. The starter has to match the flywheel tooth count and mounting position, so it could be a stock starter. You can use the stock starter, flywheel, clutch (disc spline has to match) and bell if you use the plate adapter, but the LT1 input shaft is too short to reach the pilot bushing, and will need to be switched to a LS1 input shaft (OEM part: 1386-585-010), and used with an extended pilot bushing. Many vendors sell these, prices vary, so shop around. Here is a picture of a stock bell mock-up (LT1 input shaft) I have in the shop right now (sorry for the blur, the camera has its own mind): This will be swapped out later in the build for an LS1 input. Shown is a 1-piece seal crank, but the distance is the same on a traditional crank. Oh, and I agree with Rustynewyorker, it is overkill. I am only running one in the shop truck because it is an over-chopped, over-channeled, bagged, crazy and generally non-H.A.M.B. friendly rolling example of my work. It was built to bother people. For not that, I'd just run a T-5.
Yeah i was originally lookin for a good 4 speed but got this t56 with bellhousing for cheap ($225) couldnt turn that down. Plannin on raisin some hell in my coupe if i ever get it done ha
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